CDC: Hospitals Continue Progress in Preventing Infections

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today announced significant gains in hospitals' efforts to prevent healthcare-associated infections in 2010. These include a 33% reduction in central line-associated bloodstream infections, 18% reduction in healthcare-associated invasive MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), 10% reduction in surgical-site infections, and 7% reduction in catheter-associated urinary tract infections, according to data submitted to the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network. Data on Clostridium difficile infections and MRSA bloodstream infections will be available from the network next year. "Today's news reflects the enormous amount of work and effort by hospitals, physicians, nurses and other caregivers," said John Combes, M.D., AHA senior vice president and senior fellow at the Health Research and Educational Trust. "We applaud their efforts to improve quality for patients."